Ilocos Sur 1st district Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano (Facebook)

The House of Representatives adopted during plenary session Monday, Jan. 13 a measure expressing its “profound condolences” to the family of the late agriculture undersecretary and former Ilocos Sur 1st district Rep. Deogracias Victor "DV" Savellano.

Adopted as the sense of the 307-plus strong lower chamber was House Resolution (HR) No. 2165.

The measure was introduced by House Speaker and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ilocos 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos, Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, and Committee on Accounts Chairperson Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez. 

Savellano, or simply “DV” to family, friends and colleagues, passed away last Jan. 7 at the age of 65. He was also a former House deputy speaker, governor, and vice governor of his province.

He is survived by his wife Geraldyn Schaer Bonnevie-Savellano; children Josephine Elizabeth Marie Savellano-Padua, Patricia Angelique Marie Savellano-Singson, Deogracias Jose Victorino Savellano, Virginia Nicole Savellano, and Rita Marie Savellano-Ocampo; and step children Danica Sotto-Pingris and Vittorio Mari Sotto.

In their resolution, Romualdez and his co-authors noted the “heartfelt tribute for a dear friend” President Marcos has made for the late Ilocos Sur congressman.

They said the President described Savellano as “someone whose heart always belonged to the people he served, and his profound farewell message ended with ‘Agyaman kami kadagiti amin a naipaay a tulong ken serbisyom, apo DV (We are thankful for all the help and service you have given, Sir DV)".

“Honorable Savellano’s unfaltering advocacy for the promotion of agricultural development, the upliftment of the lives of farmers, and commitment in the preservation of local culture epitomize the real essence of an excellent public servant,” they said.

DV was born on Nov. 25, 1959 in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur to parents, Victorino Ancheta Savellano and Virginia Vister Barbers-Savellano.

The resolution’s authors said the late lawmaker’s political career and public service started when he was elected and served as vice mayor Cabugao, Ilocos Sur from 1981 to 1986.

He was later voted senior board member in 1988; vice governor from 1988 to 2001, 2004 to 2007 and 2010 to 2016; from 2001 to 2004, and 2007 to 2010; and representative of the first legislative district during the 17th Congress from 2016 to 2019 and 18th Congress from 2019 to 2022.

In 2023, he was appointed as undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for livestock, oversight official of the National Tobacco Administration and DA representative to the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council.

In the House, Savellano also served as chairperson of the Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle and vice chairperson of the Committee on Agrarian Reform. He was actively involved with stakeholders and administrators of the National Tobacco Administration and provided invaluable inputs in the formulation of the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program in 2020 for the upliftment of the lives of tobacco farmers.

He authored several bills and laws for the promotion of cultural heritage, trade, tourism, and health, among others, including Republic Act (RA) No. 11915, otherwise known as the “National Music Competitions for Young Artists Act”; RA No.11904, otherwise known as the “Philippine Creative Industries Development Act”; RA No.11900, entitled “An Act Regulating the Importation, Manufacture, Sale, Packaging, Distribution, Use, and Communication of Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products, and Novel Tobacco Products”; 

RA No.11865, entitled “An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of Ilocos Sur District Hospital-Magsingal in the Municipality of Magsingal, Province of Ilocos Sur from Twenty-Five (25) Beds to One Hundred (100) Beds, and Appropriating Funds Therefor”; RA No.11760, entitled “An Act Creating an Extension Office of the Maritime Industry Authority in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and Appropriating Funds Therefor”; 

RA No.11645, entitled “An Act Establishing a Heritage Zone Within the Municipality of San Vicente, Province of Ilocos Sur”; RA No.11463, otherwise known as the “Malasakit Centers Act”; RA No.11392, otherwise known as the “National Performing Arts Companies Act”; RA No.11333, otherwise known as the “National Museum of the Philippines Act”; RA No.11310, entitled “An Act Institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)”; and RA No.11291, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta of the Poor.”

As governor of his province, Savellano initiated the Kabsat Caravan, a prosperity program which gave away free farm machineries and inputs to all farmers in Ilocos Sur.

He finished his primary and secondary education at Claret School in Quezon City, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from the University of the Philippines and his Master’s degree in International Business Administration from Monterey Institute of International Studies in California, United States of America.